SWPL announce 12-team top flight plans to mirror mens' SPFL

Scottish women’s football’s top flight will have no relegation this season and expand to a 12-team league from next season.

(Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)

The Scottish Women’s Premier League has confirmed its new two-tier league format as it is incorporated to the Scottish Professional Football League for 2022/23 with changes that mirror the men’ game.

The top two clubs from this season’s SWPL2 will be promoted in a move that will match the mens’ top division at 12 teams and a mid-season split. The women will split earlier in the season though, after 22 games.

From season 2022/23, the team finishing bottom of SWPL1 will also be automatically relegated and the winner of SWPL2 will gain automatic promotion.

In addition, the club that finishes 11th in SWPL1 will play the team that finishes 2nd in SWPL2 in a single play-off tie, at a neutral venue, to confirm who will take the final position in the SWPL1.

The SWPL2 will grow to an eight-club division, with each club playing a total of 28 matches, with each club playing home and away on two occasions.

At the end of the 2021/22 season, the winners of the Championship North and Championship South will both be promoted, alongside the winner of a play-off between the two 2nd placed clubs in the two divisions.

Fiona McIntyre, interim managing director of the SWPL, said: “This is a really exciting time for the elite women’s game, and it is great to confirm our new competition format.

“I have been working closely with SWPL clubs to agree the best way forward and I firmly believe the new league set-up will further elevate the game in Scotland.”